A wealthy Russian businessman with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin secretly financed elaborate wedding celebrations for Donald Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina, according to an investigation by ProPublica. The celebrations, held across two private islands in the Bahamas, reportedly included professional dancers and a large fireworks display and were attended by around 50 guests. Trump Jr. had previously described the wedding ceremony on his podcast as a small and low-key affair in the Bahamas.
The subsequent celebrations, however, were considerably more elaborate. According to ProPublica, businessman Umar Kremlin covered the cost of the festivities. The report said Kremlin has longstanding and publicly documented ties to Putin and the Russian government.
Kremlin reportedly traveled to China with Putin just days before Trump Jr.’s wedding. Among those attending the celebrations were Trump Jr.’s siblings Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump and Ivanka Trump, as well as Ivanka’s husband, Jared Kushner. President Donald Trump did not attend either the wedding ceremony or the subsequent celebrations.
Trump Jr. and his wife publicly thanked Kremlin for hosting the events, describing them as an “extraordinarily generous wedding gift.” “Friendship doesn't require a political motive. Generosity doesn't automatically come with an agenda,” they wrote. A spokesman for Kremlin told ProPublica that the businessman first met Trump Jr. several years ago and that the two have a friendly relationship.
The spokesman also said they had never discussed politics. The White House said President Trump was unaware of who Kremlin was. Trump nevertheless characterized the event as an after-party held in the couple’s honor and said it was “not a big deal.” First Lady Melania Trump sought to distance herself from the celebrations.
Her office said she played no role in organizing the wedding event and “was not privy to any aspect of its financial planning.” Melania Trump also did not attend the celebrations. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
